Profitable Squab Breeding Part 2

WATER FOUNTAINS

Pigeons are great drinkers and should be watered at least twice a day as they need a plentiful supply of fresh water. The best way to supply this is by using the regular watering fountains which are made for this purpose. These may be bought through almost any breeder who sells pigeons. If the one of whom the pigeons are bought does not keep them for sale, he will give the name of a firm which handles them. These fountains cost only a small sum and they keep the water clean, whereas if open water vessels are used, the water becomes foul with dirt and dust.

BATHING

Pigeons must be provided with facilities for bathing, as they will not keep in good health if they cannot have a bath regularly. They delight in getting into water and bathing themselves all over. An ordinary big dishpan makes a good bath-tub for pigeons, or a barrel so cut off as to be four inches deep makes a good tub for bathing purposes. Empty the bath-tub as soon as the pigeons have finished their baths to prevent them from drinking the foul water.

SANITATION

A pigeon loft must be kept free from insects and disease germs by carefully attending to sanitary conditions. The free use of lice-killers, cleaning the nests out as soon as the squabs are taken from them and whitewas.h.i.+ng the whole interior of the loft at least twice a year will keep the enemies of the birds from gaining a foothold, as well as destroy stray disease germs which may be floating in the air.

DRYNESS

Pigeons must have a dry loft or they will fall victims to disease. To keep the houses dry they should have the floor at least a foot from the ground and the location should be such that water does not stand around the house or under it. Make the floor double, so that it will be air-tight and let the air circulate under the house freely. Two objects are accomplished by having the floor off the ground; the rooms are kept dry and rats will not burrow under the house.

FLOOR COVERING

The floor of the pigeon houses should be kept covered with about an inch of sand, if this can be procured handily. Otherwise keep it covered with chaff, which should frequently be renewed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 5. Showing Construction of Crate for Nesting Material.

The cover is removable and protects the material from the droppings and filth. Tobacco stems, straw or hay cut into lengths of six or eight inches, should be kept before the birds at all times and this crate is the handiest and best way to furnish this material.]

CLEANLINESS

It is necessary to keep the pigeon lofts clean. Some breeders advocate cleaning them every week, we think a good cleaning once a month will do.

Every time the lofts are cleaned, the birds must be disturbed more or less, and this results in some little loss, so the matter of cleanliness should not be carried to extreme. If the house is dry and light, the droppings will quickly dry up and will not become offensive for several weeks.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 6. Showing Ground Plan of House No. 1.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 7. Showing Ground Plan of House No. 2.]

CHAPTER IV

FEEDS AND FEEDING--BREEDING HABITS

Pigeons are exclusive grain eaters. They do not require animal food of any kind, nor is green food necessary for them. Occasionally a nice tender head of lettuce may be given to each loft and they will eat it with relish, but such green foods as gra.s.s, lawn clippings, or cut clover should never be given them. The lettuce is not necessary but may be given by way of variety, but not more than one head to fifty pairs of birds.

The princ.i.p.al feeds are red wheat, sifted cracked corn, Canada peas, kaffir corn, hemp seed and German millet seed. Besides these, buckwheat, barley, and canary seed may sometimes be given; but the first-named const.i.tute a good variety and should be used as a constant feed. All of them are necessary and they should be properly rotated.

SOUND GRAIN NECESSARY

We want to emphasize the fact that all grain used for feeding pigeons must be sound and wholesome. It is the very poorest kind of economy to feed shrunken, musty, or damaged grain of any kind.

WHEAT

The wheat used should be sound red wheat which has been thoroughly dried. New wheat should never be used. Good No. 2 red wheat, at least six months out of the straw, should be selected.

PEANUTS

In many localities Canada Peas are so high in price that breeders can hardly afford to feed them but the cheapest raw peanuts may be obtained at a low price and these will take the place of the Canada Peas and give just the same results. I have found them very satisfactory as a feed and hundreds of my customers have reported excellent results with them.

CRACKED CORN

Sound, well dried, No. 2 sifted cracked corn should be used for pigeons.

By well dried, we mean that the corn should be of the crop of the previous year. It should be cracked so that the pieces will be about the size of wheat grains. It should be sifted to separate the fine meal, as the pigeons will not eat the meal and if it is left in the food troughs it will sour and produce bowel trouble in the birds, old and young.

CANADA PEAS

Canada peas should be well dried out, selecting those of the previous year as they are thoroughly dry and sound. This is the highest priced feed the pigeon-keeper will need to buy but it is not fed largely, being used sparingly on account of the great nutritive qualities, which cause squabs to grow rapidly and make heavy breast meat.

KAFFIR CORN

Kaffir corn has become a regular article of sale and can be bought almost anywhere. It is between wheat and corn in value and makes a very good pigeon feed. Buy seed of the previous year when buying for pigeons.

HEMP SEED

But a small quant.i.ty of hemp seed is used. If too much were given the birds they would become very fat and get lazy. A good plan is to throw a handful of hemp seed on the floor once a week on a stated day, say Wednesday. Never put hemp seed in a feed trough, as the first birds to get to the trough would "hog" all the seed.

MILLET SEED

The seed of the German millet makes an excellent pigeon feed. It also is quite fattening and must be used sparingly. It is usually quite cheap, compared with its food value, and should be kept on hand at all times.

BUCKWHEAT

Buckwheat is very fattening and should be fed sparingly. The pigeon-breeder need not take any special pains to get it for his birds, but in some localities buckwheat is raised extensively and in these places the grain may be used by way of variety. Buckwheat is very heating and therefore is best used in severe cold weather.

CANARY SEED